//------------------------------//
// 2: Harmony Grove 
// Story: Child of Music 
// by Midori_Kuroba 
//------------------------------//

"Vinyl, is all this really necessary?" Octavia gazed worriedly at all the electronics Vinyl was packing into their wooden cart. "I can understand your turn table. That's technically your instrument, and I'm bringing my Cello. What in Equestria is all this other junk though?"

The unicorn burst from said pile of junk and said, "This is all necessary for the best performance! We gotta wow that goddess of love! I'm talking speakers, lights, energy output, the works!"

"And don't you be thinking this is too much mein liebchen?" They both turned to see Photo Finish make her way to the cart. "If you want it to be a duet, you must be balancing yourself with Octavia's level of ze magiks."

Vinyl hopped down from the two wheeled transport. "You made it to see us off! So you're saying that I've got to tone it down so that my music doesn't overshadow Octavia's?"

Photo Finish nodded so fast they were surprised her head didn't fling off. "Ja, precisely! You need to take less. Ein paar speakers and your turn table at ze most."

Looking between her mother, Octavia, and all her equipment, Vinyl sighed and nodded in agreement. "You're right mom. And besides, this child is more for Octavia than me. She deserves to be the star when we perform." She was shocked when Octavia gave her a kiss on the lips, causing her glasses to unbalance exposing one of her eyes as she blushed. "L-Love, what was that for?"

Octavia giggled and responded, "Because you can be so dense, dear. This isn't just about me. It's about both of us. This is a duet that we have to do together, and even if it doesn't give us our child, I think it's a wonderful way for us to bond." After a quick nuzzle, Octavia made her way to the front of the cart and began to strap herself in.

When she realized what Octavia was doing, Vinyl rushed over tried to push her aside. "Octavia, no! You shouldn't have to carry our instruments there!"

"Zat's right, Octavia!" Photo Finish added in. "Mein daughter will gladly pull ze cart! Besides, she is ze boy in ze relationship, nein?" She lowered her glasses shooting Vinyl a sarcastic gaze and grin, earning a blush and a grumble from her daughter.

Octavia quickly shook her head and waved her hoof dismissively. "It's no trouble at all. Me and Vinyl switch it up a little every now and then, and besides, I'm an Earth Pony. I'm stronger and far more suited for the job. I won't even break a sweat dragging all our stuff to Serenade."

Vinyl sighed reluctantly before letting Octavia do as she pleased. She used her magic to lift all her musical equipment she'd no longer be bringing with her, and floated it back into their house. "I'll clean all that up when we get back." She locked the door and quickly leapt into the back of the cart. In it she found her turn table, Octavia's cello, a box of records, two speakers, a generator, gas canisters for it, and a small bag of food for the trip. "Okay, got everything we need! Let's go make a baby! Mush!"

"Don't push it," Octavia stated with a quick glare over her shoulder.

The walk began as Octavia dragged the cart away, Vinyl in the back banging her head to whatever music was playing in her head. Photo Finish waved them off, and then lifted her glasses to wipe a tear from her eye. "Ach, mein baby is finally growing up. Ich liebe dich, Vinyl, and hope that you learn ein lesson from this."


*****


While out on the road, Vinyl decided to activate the generator so that she could play music on her turn table. She used a spell to create a sound barrier around the generator, so that the sound of it wouldn't overshadow her music. Of course, she had a few classy records that she played for her marefriend.

Octavia's mane and tail frizzed and she skid to a halt when she suddenly heard country music. "What in Celestia's name is that?!" 

Admiring Octavia's glare, Vinyl had a smug look leaning on her electronic device. "I just thought you might like a little shout out to your roots, Octavia 'Applebottom'."

"I told you to never use my full name! I should've never told you that I'm a member of the Apple Family!"

Vinyl giggled, achieving a blush from the classy pony. "You shouldn't be ashamed of your heritage. The Apple Family may be farm ponies, but they're a big part of Equestrian history."

Octavia hung her head a little and said, "It's not that I'm ashamed of my heritage. I love my family. Me and my twin sister Fiddlesticks have always gotten along great, despite our different interests. I just... get a little homesick I suppose. Being a famous musician is nice, but I'd like to see my family more."

The record stopped, and Vinyl removed it with a soft smile. "That's great to hear Tavi. Maybe after this, we can pay your family a visit. They live near Ponyville right?"

"Yes, on the opposite side of Sweet Apple Acres and a couple miles on the outskirts." Octavia started walking again. "You know, I packed a surprise record in there myself, 'punk'."

Vinyl raised her eyebrow at the emphasis on 'punk', and flipped through the records. She gasped and yanked out a particular one she hadn't noticed before. "Oh Tavi, you didn't!" The cover said "Dash Punk" and had an image of her and Rainbow Dash with goofy robot-like helmets on. "Come on, I thought I left this in the past! I don't make music like this anymore, and heck Rainbow Dash doesn't make music period anymore! Why would you taunt me with this piece of crud?"

"It's not a piece of crud!" Octavia looked back with hurt in her eyes, making Vinyl cringe and blush from how cute Octavia looked with those puppy eyes. "I know I have a heard time listening to your dubstep, but I actually loved your old music when I discovered it! It wasn't about the bass and dropping it, and I feel like you changed just to meet modern ponies popular opinions! Sure it was still electronic, but you sang, and you played the instruments that you recorded, and had beautiful lyrics and rhythms! What happened to that Vinyl?"

The unicorn removed her glasses and stared at the record for a long moment. "She's still here Octavia. She's just... hiding. You're right. Even though I'm embarrassed by my style back then, I miss making music like this. Dubstep is fun, don't get me wrong! It makes me pumped, and a party animal! Though, maybe I could try making music like this again sometime. Instead of Rainbow Dash, maybe you could help me."

Octavia's eyes shimmered and her lip quivered. "Let's go make beautiful music together right now, Vinyl." She picked up her pace as they approached the village of Serenade.

Serenade was a peaceful and tranquil place, littered with pine trees and old houses. It seemed as if every pony had an instrument on that at all times in this village, hence why it was known as the village of bards. They earned many looks as they trotted into town. A classy pony with a cart in tow, filled with musical equipment and a rather wild looking unicorn with shades. In fact, it was such a rare image, that many of the locals that took notice gathered around them. One pony stepped before them and said, "Hello there strangers! My name is Acapella, and I'm happy to welcome you two to Serenade! So, what brings you to our small village? Is it the alluring sense of peace, and the desire to be surrounded by fellow musicians?"

Octavia shook her head and said, "Actually, we're here to see Harmony Grove. We wish to play our music there."

A lot of muttering was exchanged between the surrounding ponies. Acapella rubbed his head and said, "Harmony Grove is a lovely place in all, but it seems like you've gone a long way just to play your music there."

"We have a good reason." Vinyl jumped from the cart and trotted to Octavia's side. "We heard a legendary story about the goddess of the grove, and how two ponies that couldn't have fillies and colts of their own played a duet for the goddess. She blessed them with a child! We wanted to see if the legends were true. Oh! My name is Vinyl Scratch, and this," she hugged and nuzzled her marefriend. "This is my life partner, Octavia."

The surrounding ponies were in an uproar of shock and awe. Acapella raised his hooves and said, "Splendid! Only have I heard of such a legend, but never seen anypony try to test it! And for you two to have such faith in it, so that even with a beautiful bond like yours, you may have a young pony of your own!" He sniffled a wiped a tear from his eye. "It's... beautiful. Truly, this story will inspire many here today, whether you prove the legend true or not. Please, allow me to lead you to the grove!"

Octavia and Vinyl exchanged joyous glances, and quickly followed him, several of the local bards following and spreading the word. When they arrived at the grove, it was truly a spectacle. The entrance sank beneath ground level, into a rounded area with smooth walls and an open ceiling. Directly to the opposite wall from the entryway was a large beautiful tree, who's roots flowed through the earth around the grove. Within the rounded area was a small island of land covered in flowers surrounded by shallow water. A dirt road led to the island, so the two ponies left their cart in the entryway and carried their instruments to the island, setting them up.

Acappella joined the crown of bards that were gathering around the upper cliffs of the grove, staring in curiously at the romantic duet. Octavia stood before Vinyl's turn table and removed her glasses to look her in her bright red eyes. "Vinyl, if this truly works-"

She was cut off with a kiss from Vinyl, who smirked and said, "When it 'does' work."

Octavia smiled softly and nodded in response. "When this works... if it's a earth pony, I wish to name it. And if it's a unicorn, I'd like you to name it." With a giggle, Vinyl nodded her agreement. "Right then. Shall we?" She placed her bow on her Cello, while Vinyl activated her own instrument after silencing the generator again.

A soft, long note filled the air as all was silent when Octavia first slid her bow across the strings of her cello, Vinyl activating a deep elongated sound to go with it. Octavia pushed her bow back across the strings for a higher note, and Vinyl imitated the sound change with the sound from her own device. The next note was the same as the first, but the fourth note was much higher and rang through the area, and when Vinyl synchronized her own music with the sound, the walls of the grove lit up, covered in symbols, and the entryway rose creating a wall around them.

They didn't seem to notice, as the unicorn activated a beat, electronic noise starting up gently as Octavia began to play a tune of her own on the Cello. The earth ponies bass sounded beautiful along with Vinyl's electronic beat. They played peacefully for a moment, and then Vinyl did a base drop, which Octavia used as a signal to begin playing faster and harder. Every wub from her lover's speaker guided Octavia's hooves back and fourth with the bow, and every bass drop was a long beautiful note from her cello. The speakers were softer than Vinyl normally played them, so that over her own music, everyone could hear the beautiful rhythm from Octavia, which Vinyl gladly played with.

They switched back and fourth constantly in who led, both playing to the others beats, completely in sync, as if they were in each other's heads. The water surrounding them vibrated and twisted, beginning to spike with the musical notes. It washed away the dirt road as it swirled around them like a vortex, balls of the water floating into the air and flowing around them. The orbs of water reflected sunlight, creating random rainbows here and there as they floated about.

Veins glowed along the roots of the tree and up its trunk as the entire grove became a sight to behold. None of the bards had ever seen anything like it, or heard anything like the music these two mares were performing before them all. And then, Octavia shocked even Vinyl as she began to sing:


Goddess, we sing unto thee
here in the grove, of Harmony.
Goddess, will you hear us play
as to you, with our music we pray.

Lately love, has been filled with tears
for that which couldn't be in a million years,
so we play our duet for the child we can't create,
and hope that you'll take pity on our miserable state.

I wish to be a mother and my marefriend does as well,
we both love each other, and by this song, can't you tell?
I love Vinyl Scratch "(Vinyl:) And Octavia, I love you too." 
Please grant us a child, we don't know what else to do!


Vinyl felt hot tears dripping down her cheeks as her lover's sad song, and the notes she played to go with them. She didn't stop for a single second, despite her surprise and being entranced by her mate's beautiful singing. She played with even more enthusiasm than she ever had before. She wasn't alone with the waterworks, for Octavia had a single tear trailing from each eye, and the majority of the bards watching were sniffling trying to hold back their own, and failing miserably.

They played the final note of their duet, and they they looked up they were shocked to see a large flower bud had grown on the front of the tree trunk. A stem extended from the base of the flower, and lowered it down into the grove to rest before the island. Vinyl ran around to Octavia's side as she dropped her cello, both ponies approaching the pod cautiously.

They could hear their hearts beating faster and faster as they both peeled open the petals, and there within was an adorable young filly curled up and asleep. She wasn't a newborn baby exactly, but she couldn't of been older than four. She was a unicorn with long smooth dark blue mane that spiked up at her crow's nest, and her fur was a warm gray like Octavia's. She opened her mauve eyes and smiled, reaching out to them as she said, "Mommies?"

The two mares burst into tears and hugged their daughter, filled with joy, the surrounding bards cheering. Vinyl blinked and said, "But wait, why wasn't she born as a newborn baby?"

Octavia giggled and said, "Who can say how this magic works? Perhaps it sensed we were worried about how well we could look after a baby with no true experience, and skipped that stage in our child's development for us. Do you really want to question how it works?"

Vinyl looked to the entryway as it sank back down for them, and the dirt road re-emerged. She smiled and shook her head. "No, I really don't care, now that we have a child of our own."

The filly giggled cutely as her first mother, Octavia, nuzzled her tummy. "Speaking of which, she is a unicorn VInyl. So what would you like to name her."

"I don't know. There's so much that I could name her." She bite her lip, thinking hard. "Wait, I got it! A unique and wonderful name for her." She removed her glasses, and gazed down upon her daughter. "Your name is going to be, Chip Tune."